Beginnings Harlequin Ladies F.C was founded in 1995 by two former Oxford University players, Kirstie Heslop and Vanessa Matthews, as the women's team of
Harlequin F.C. They initially played their home games on the 2nd XV pitch at The Stoop, at Centaurs RFC, Grasshoppers RFC, Old Isleworthians RFC and at Harlequins' previous training base at Richardson Evans Memorial Playing Fields in
Roehampton. They won their first league title unbeaten and were subject of a
Channel 4 documentary. After winning four successive league titles, in 2000 they were promoted to
Rugby Football Union for Women Division 1. However, they were later relegated from top flight. Following the RFUW restructuring the leagues in 2007, Harlequins Ladies were placed in Championship 2 South East. In 2017, they competed in the National 2 South East league.
Reformation In 2016, Harlequins announced a partnership with
Women's Premiership club
Aylesford Bulls Ladies. The agreement stated that Aylesford Bulls would become a part of Harlequins and would wear their colours However the elite squad later moved to be permanently based at
Surrey Sports Park at the
University of Surrey in
Guildford, with the 3s maintaining their links with the local area and keeping Old Isleworthians RFC as their training and playing base. Although in 2021, Harlequins Women 3XV moved to Hampton Wick Royal Cricket Club and formed Harlequin Amateurs Women. In 2017, Harlequins Ladies were awarded a franchise for the new Women's Super League, later renamed Premier 15s. In doing so, Harlequins fully took over Aylesford Bulls Ladies with Harlequins being confirmed for the new league in a full merger and would cease using the Aylesford Bulls name. In July 2019, they changed their name to
Harlequins Women.
Record attendance On 10 March 2018, Harlequins Women played in front of a crowd of 4,545 spectators during a game against local rivals
Richmond Women at
Twickenham Stoop, establishing a record attendance for a British women's club rugby match. The following season, on 30 March 2019, they beat their own record with an attendance of 4,837 for their last regular season league match of the
Premier 15s season against
Gloucester-Hartpury. == Ground ==